Fall of Kobol ( Angelica Frost )
Fall of Kobol ( or by the UNSC called it: Battle of Kobol ) is one of the largest engagements by the UNSC against the Covenant in defending Kobol. Priorities were made on this battle as such of the SPARTAN II and SPARTAN III Commandos were sent to the planet to defend it. Similar to Reach's time and battle, it took many of the UNSC to pull in the effort and struggle to defend the inner colony. But because of ONI's importance to Kobol and it's fleet may support the UNSC if either Reach or Earth is under attack. The Covenant attacked this colony and the battle took longer due to it's heavy numbers of UNSC assets on the planet. Thus, making it one of the longest battles fought between the UNSC and the Covenant. The Fall of Reach being the other one. Engagement started in March 3, 2552. Where a Covenant Strike Force slips through the UNSC Radars even using the SI Prototype Satellites and Detection Relays. The Fleet Light and Autumn first attacked the planet and the fleet was repelled by the UNSC forces. However, a second wave of a Covenant Fleet strikes Kobol with a 3 Covenant joint fleet. The ODPs were able to repel the second wave. In the later days, a larger fleet smashed the reinforced Kobol Home Fleet and the ODPs despite losing their warships against the UNSC. Multiple SPARTAN Fireteams conducted operations on Kobol and most of the operations were successful. Despite being one of the heavily defended colonies, Kobol fell from the Covenant. However, this was one of the rarest engagements of the Covenant losing more than half of their forces even with their victory rose up. Before the attack. Kobol becomes the next closest colony to harbor in any nearby UNSC Fleets from the battlezones or sectors ravaged by the Covenant. One UNSC Vessel arrived from Sector G252 and docked into the Scorpia Shipyards. Where that particular UNSC Vessel receives repairs. However, unaware that the Covenant placed a probe into the ship and inspection teams removed the device off the ship and investigated by the UNSC. Later, this device was investigated by ONI. That the UNSC Frigate was placed with a Covenant Tracking Device. The Ship is to be ordered to leave Kobol and arrive at an abandoned planet in hopes for the Covenant to arrive and attack the vessel there instead of Kobol. However, this was one mistake done by the UNSC. One of the UNSC ships, the Pillar of Autumn received repairs here on Kobol and retreated back to Reach after a few days. Inside the Covenant Assault Carrier Solidus Excalibur, Sangheili Shipmasters and Commanders sets their plans on invading a human world. They retrieved informations about the Frigate when they attacked it two days later. Seeing that Kobol is also a UNSC colony inhabited by humans. However, the location of Kobol was already known as Kobol contains Forerunner Crystals and Cores. Which can improve a warship's firepower, speed and even an ability to upgrade a SPARTAN's Augmentation, armor capabilities and skillsets. Though, these Forerunner artifacts were not yet found as of 2551. This is because that the Complex below Kobol is far dense and deep from the surface. On March 1,2552, Wolf Six sents in three SPARTAN-III Operatives on the Aquino Orbital Defense Platform for debriefing from Operation: Nova Strike. SPARTANs B402, Xyline-B163 and Hesh-A352 were awarded from their actions. In March 2, 2552 at 25:34 hours, the Covenant Fleet Light and Autumn arrived and slipped through Kobol's Orbital Defenses even it's stationed fleet. The fleet started conducting operations under UNSC radar. It's first operation was to take down major UNSC Recon Bases and Relay Stations. This alerted enough UNSC Marine Companies to investigate the unusual activity. Winter Contingency Declared First 15 Engagements Some hours after the attack, the 157th Gypsy Company. A UNSC Marine Corps Company was sent to Digger. A UNSC Relay Station on the Tourrett Continent. The Marine Company engaged a Covenant Zealot Strike Force. UNSC Reinforcements bolstered the UNSC Marine Company to destroy the Strike Force and nearby Air Forces on the area. Winter Contingency was declared by UNSC Marine Lieutenant Oswald after the engagement on Digger Station. At the same time, Red Team was sent to Fort Fitzgerald, where they witnessed the Fort under heavy attack by a Covenant Corvette and it's land assets. Though the Fort was able to hold thanks to the air assets on Kobol active from the Planet's celebration of it's Lunar Tradition. However, according to Lieutenant Achilles. The Fort holds an extreme number of high value of importance to the UNSC and it's purpose to bolster UNSC Firepower. Red Team SPARTANs Isaac-039, Anton-044 and Joshua-029 engaged the Covenant Forces on the Fort by taking back the AA Batteries online. With the Covenant's air power knocked down, the Corvette started to use bombardment on the Fort that destroyed half of the Marine Company just outside the Fort. Isaac was hit by a Banshee's Fuel Rod Cannon, wounding him in the process. Forcing Anton to designate targets for the UNSC Frigates that later arrived to destroy the Wraith Tanks approaching. As well as to coordinate an Orbital Strike against a Corvette. The Corvette was destroyed by Orbital Strike, thus saving the Fort from the Covenant. UNSC Reinforcements arrived and Isaac was able to survive from his wounds. In March 5, 23:45 hours in the rain. Following after the raid in Fitzgerald, Gray Team. Led by SPARTAN John-117 and with other SPARTANs ( Kelly-087, Frederic-104, James-005 and Linda-058 ) were sent to the mountains of New Cavite. Where they will investigate a Science Base located on the edge of the mountains. They witnessed an aftermath of the Covenant Massacre on the population centres on the area. Where they saw both civilian and military casualties as the entire town was empty from human presence. They engaged with a sizable Company Forces that attempted to take down the Fireteam with an alarming rate of Wraith Tanks. However, Gray Team easily takes down the threat and they proceed further to the area. While they were in the way to the Science Base, they saw a UNSC Frigate crashing down. Almost destroying the Science Base in the process. Linda spotted a Covenant Corvette deploying a number of troops down to the crashed Frigate. As they also spotted a few human survivors holding on their position. The survivors were rescued after Gray Team's efforts and joined with the SPARTANs to enter the Science Base. They saw that a vital Science Team were murdered and the data to the Forerunner Complex was stolen. Alerting the UNSC Command about the Covenant's findings that Kobol was indeed raided and that the Covenant were looking for something. Fields of Fire Protection was required, and that Kobol was already found by the Covenant. However, the attacks were not alerting. Returning most of the UNSC forces in Kobol for a hold and standby. With only selected battalions of UNSC Marines, Navy and Air Force along with SPARTANs were only required to participate in active engagements against the Covenant. Noble Team was called an deployed to Kobol for an artifact retrieval. Where a Covenant CSS Battlecruiser and 2 Corvettes was found by the UNSC Navy and were sending their ships there immediately. Noble Team SPARTANs Thom-A293, Emile-A239, Jun-A266 and Jorge-052 were sent to lead a Marine Battalion to the desert fields of Kobol. While Carter-A259 and Catherine-B320 were leading the rest of the forces to prevent the Covenant forces spreading their attacks further. The Marine Battalion suffered tremendous casualties and were massacred by a storm of Wraith Tanks and Banshees. Another Marine Battalion was sent to reinforce with four UNSC Frigates. Carter requested Orbital Rounds as another Covenant Corvette arrived. But his request was denied by Kobol Command ( Admiral Shield ) due to the fact that the Covenant wanted them to use Orbital Rounds to detonate a Plasma Bomb. Which was located down on a large Armor Manufacturing Facility. Carter ordered Thom and the others to get to the Facility with cover fire from the UNSC Siberia. The Siberia provides cover fire for the SPARTANs from above. But was destroyed by a Covenant Corvette due to it's overwhelming firepower. However, Thom disables the Plasma Bomb, with Jun hijacking a Banshee to cover Emile and Jorge to destroy the Wraith Tanks parked down there. With the Plasma Bomb secured and disarmed, additional UNSC Warships have arrived from orbit and destroyed the two Corvettes overwhelming the USNC Ground Forces. However, the Battlecruiser escaped. At the same time, a Zealot Strike Force massacred a nearby town 60 miles outside the Desert Fields. Leading two UNSC Companies to investigate the anonymous activity. Drones detected a Covenant Spire that somewhat cloaks the Covenant Forces. Leading SPARTAN-III Fireteam Pacific to deploy to the town nearby. Fireteam Pacific discovered the digging of the Covenant that they were unearthing a Forerunner Structure buried below. The Fireteam enters and engages a few Covenant resistance inside. They secured the Structure and were able to found a Forerunner Artifact. Initiative Attack Days later, on March 15. Covenant activity on the Tourette Continent increased. A Covenant Fleet, with over 25 vessels including 3 CSO Assault Carrier spotted exiting on Kobol just outside the Planet's ODP's range. This alerted major station platforms, as the Kobol Home Fleet engaged the Covenant Fleet immediately with Admiral Vasquez leading the Second batch of Fleets. One Assault Carrier launched over a hundred of boarding crafts to the ODPs. However, Wolf Six was present inside one of the Orbital Defenses as well as Pacific Team. Three Orbital Defense Platforms were destroyed by the boarding parties, but the rest managed to survive or hold off against the invading Covenant forces. Wolf Six and Pacific Team secured the Anti-matter bomb from the Station with the help of the AIs. The ODPs took out at least two CSS-Class Battlecruisers in range. Vasquez's battlegroup penetrated through the enemy's formation and destroyed one battlecruiser. Two frigates were destroyed at this cost but Vasquez's cruiser managed to damage the Assault Carrier with the assistance of two Marathon Cruisers. Another Fleet arrives, with over 47 vessels and reinforced the Covevnant Fleet. The Fleet of Redemption and Ashire and the Fleet of Starstruckers and Bolts, now reinforced and organized destroyed over 20 UNSC Vessels with one UNSC Marathon Carrier destroyed. The Home Fleet falls back in formation with the Escorts covering and the reinforcements from the planet sent out to orbit. A few Covenant Cruisers managed to enter towards the Planet's Surface, dropping down ground forces. With the fight starting at least five major cities and several locations, this was a surprise advantage of the Covenant. The UNSC forces on the surface were unprepared for an impending attack and their preparation led to the first 45 minutes of over 3-5 Million Civilian and Military deaths in all five cities. SPARTAN Pacific Team and Gray Team were sent to the major population centers to aid in with the evacuation. However, Gray Team was sent to the City of New Cebu to extract the ONI Officials as they held themselves inside the Executive Headquarters in lockdown. The Covenant attacked the Headquarters to find the location of other human worlds, but this was thwarted by Gray Team. Red Team was also sent to the city, aiding the 74th Marine Battalion and the 105th ODSTs to take down the Covenant Forces occupying downtown. The Megaturret was destroyed, as Red Team and it's strike force penetrates and destroys the Covenant's Wraith Tank column in the way. The Battlecruiser, just above the city launches a storm of drop pods down that contains enough reinforcements to bolster the Covenant Forces below. Gray Team made it deep to the Headquarters, hoping to check up with the Executives inside. However, they found that more than half of the National Members were killed. About to declare the mission a failure, Frederic found something on one of the dead executives. A data chip. Hoping that it would rely intel for the UNSC about the Forerunner Artifact below Kobol, it was also an arrow that leads them to a set of coordinates for an unknown star system. Gray Team were extracted by Wolf Six, and both SPARTAN Fireteams were sent to the City of Great Delhi. Siege of Great Delhi In March 17, Fireteam Pacific aided with the civilian evacuation. One Covenant Corvette crashed on the side of the city, that killed more than half of the UNSC and the Civilians. Staff Sergeant Miles takes the place of leading the 198th Marine Platoon for his dead Lieutenant. The Platoon engages the Covenant at sight, leading to a brutal firefight in the Kurist Plaza. Fireteam Pacific arrived in time and helped the platoon to repel the Covenant forces on the plaza. Leading the civilians to the Skyscraper where multiple Pelican transports would send them to Gandhi Starport, the largest starport of Kobol. Aftermath The Fall of Kobol marked the UNSC's total defeat despite the pressure of both sides. Victory of the Covenant was highly expected and the UNSC would have hoped to use the reinforcements if it weren't from the initial slow response of the ODPs due to the crew maintenance. Kobol was entirelly glassed, with no survivors left before a UNSC drone was shot down to confirm the last seconds of the planet's utter destruction. Timeline Fall of Kobol